


requiem

by jeoncna



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Canonical Character Death, F/M, we all know loki comes back during avengers ://
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 09:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13097334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeoncna/pseuds/jeoncna
Summary: Requiemˈrɛkwɪəm,-ɪɛm/nounnoun: requiem; plural noun: requiems▪	(especially in the Roman Catholic Church) a Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead.▪	an act or token of remembrance."remembrance.at times, when fate had pulled the reigns from her control and veered her off course, it was the only thing she could do."ora retelling of the events that occurred during Thor (2011) that no one asked for. deviates from canon.





	requiem

**Introit**  
Saveria jerked out of sleep. A glance at the watch on the bedside table told her it was around four in the morning. Something had woken her; she could feel it inside, like a gnawing ache at the base of her abdomen. She tried to recall the dream that she had, but as vivid it was in her sleep, it was no more than a faint impression now.

The dream was of the past, that much she could remember. She quickly got out of bed and threw on the nearest shirt she found. She didn’t take more than two steps before a feeling of intense pain enveloped her and she collapsed. This feeling… she hadn’t felt it in a few decades. The last time she experienced it, it had been –

“The Bifrost?” Saveria murmured, clutching her stomach as she straightened. Something was wrong.

If her gut feeling was correct, the disturbance in the realms was in the small town of Puente Antiguo in New Mexico, USA. And if there was a disturbance large enough to send her doubling over in pain, she’d be damned if she didn’t investigate what it was. After all, despite her sixty years of stay on earth, she was still an Asgardian. 

Calling the administrative to take a leave of absence from her work was a nightmare. After promising to work her ass off for the next two months without taking a break, she finally hung up. Putting down her cellphone, she briefly wondered whether she needed Ljómi, her trusty dagger. It was, after all, more than half a century since she had engaged in combat. She was probably rusty. She quickly packed a small rucksack of her personal items. Adjusting the several magazines on her coffee table, she gave one last sweeping look of her living room.

She wondered if this would be the last time she would see her small apartment in a long time.

Stretching out her fingertips, she closed her eyes and let the familiar feeling of Seiðr engulf her for the first time in sixty years. Saveria pictured Puente Antiguo as best she could in her mind, took a step forward and felt herself falling into a black, unbound void.

**\---**

Saveria finally felt the ground beneath her feet, after what seemed like eons. With her head spinning, she opened her eyes and was greeted with the sight of the freezing dark night and the feeling of the dry, arid climate on her skin. There was a small town not far from where she stood, but her gut was telling her to walk the other direction, where the boundless desert was.

She couldn’t teleport with her Seiðr, in case she missed whatever clues she was looking for. She adjusted her rucksack and started walking.

It took too long to find, but at last she came upon it.

The unmistakable symbol of a Celtic knot was scorched into the desert ground. Someone had landed on earth, she was sure of it. She was just surprised that the authorities hadn’t arrived and cordoned off the area yet.

Kneeling on one knee, Saveria scooped a handful of the scorched sand and closed her eyes. Each marking was unique to each journey through the Bifrost. With a little magic, hopefully she’d be able to see the events that occurred before the journey. Willing her Seiðr, she channeled her power through the sand and let the images take her.

“You are an old man and a fool!”

“… I was a fool to think you were ready…”

“You have betrayed the express command of your King. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war…”

“… unworthy of your title!”

“I now take from you, your power. In the name of…”

“I, Odin Allfather, cast you out. Whosoever holds of this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.”

With a gasp, Saveria tore herself from the scene playing in her head. Saveria groaned and sat up – she wasn’t even aware that she had fallen. 

What was that?

Saveria looked towards the direction of the town, squinting her eyes in the glare of the rising sun. Her magic never lied. And if everything that she saw was correct, then Thor Odinson was on earth, no longer worthy of Mjølnir and stripped of his title. Saveria hurriedly looked around her for any clues of the hammer. If it was not around the Bifrost markings, that meant it landed at a different site. Not for the first time, Saveria wished she had paid more attention when her mentor had taught her tracking magic. She had no way to find Thor.

“For the love of Odin,” Saveria mumbled to herself and straightened, teleporting herself back to the town. Knowing Thor, he would not leave this town without Mjølnir. She was certain that Thor would try to retrieve it from wherever the Allfather had tossed it from the Bifrost. There was no need to go looking for him. It would not take long for the oaf to cause a commotion with the townspeople and alert Saveria to his location. Until then, all that she could do was to wait.

Suppose she could go looking for Mjølnir. But she couldn’t even track a God, much less a stupid hammer.

**\---**

Saveria had been brooding at the corner of a tiny diner for about five hours, before the sound of smashing glass brought her out of her stupor. She looked up from her magazine just as the blond man sitting a few tables away yelled, “Another!”

The petite brunette with him jumped. So did everyone else in the diner. 

“What was that?” The brunette demanded.

The man looked genuinely confused. “It was delicious,” he said, referring to the smashed coffee cup on the ground. “I wanted another.”

Oh yeah, that was definitely Thor. Sixty years since she last saw him, and yet he had not changed a bit. Saveria smiled to herself, hid behind her magazine once more, and listened. 

She observed as discreetly as she could while Thor scarfed down five plates of some sort of poultry, and two more plates of poptarts. The brunette and another older man were deep in conversation. The door clinked, signaling more patrons. Saveria looked up just to see a few of the townsfolk walk in looking bedraggled.

“Morning, Pete. Jake,” Isabela, the owner of the diner called as the men made their way to the counter. Saveria looked back down at her magazine, staring but not absorbing anything.

“… Some kind of satellite crashed in the desert,” Saveria’s ears perked up. A satellite crash? In the desert where she had suspected Mjølnir might have landed?

Apparently the brunette with Thor had similar thoughts, as she turned to the men and asked, “Excuse me, did you say there was a satellite crash?”

Saveria shifted in her seat and picked up her cup of coffee. After ten years of surviving her university job by relying solely on coffee, the brown, steaming liquid still tasted like medicine to her. Bitter and revolting.

“Yep. They said it was radioactive. And I had my hands all over it,” one of the men turned and said. Struck with a sudden realization, he gasped in mild horror to the other man, “I’m probably sterile now.”

Saveria rolled her eyes, just in time to see the other girl with Thor – the one wearing spectacles – had taken a photo of him and declared that she was posting it on Facebook. Saveria chuckled softly to herself and flipped a page on the magazine, just to keep up the pretense that she wasn’t eavesdropping on the conversations going on in the diner.

“I don't know nothing about satellites,” the man said in reply to the brunette and the older man sitting with her and Thor. “But it was heavy. Real heavy. Nobody could lift it.”

She looked up in alarm as Thor crosses the diner in two steps and grabbed the man by the lapels. “Where?”

“About twelve miles east of here,” the man stuttered, obviously intimidated by Thor’s size and built.

Twelve miles east of here, Saveria thought. Not far from the Bifrost markings then. In fact, she knew exactly where to teleport herself to. She wondered if anyone had discovered the Bifrost markings in the sand, and whether the Puente Antiguo authorities had cordoned off the area yet.

Saveria glanced down at her magazine again when Thor grinned and walked out of the diner. She could hear the brunette, the older man and the girl with the glasses scrambling to pay the bill and then rushing out after him. When she looked up again, they had stopped in the middle of the walkway, where cars were swerving to avoid hitting them. The brunette and the older man seemed to be arguing. If she strained her ears, she could vaguely make out what they were saying. 

“He’s promising us answers,” the woman said.

“He’s delusional. Listen to what he’s saying. He’s talking about Mjølnir, and Thor and the Bifrost!” The man argued. “It’s the stories I grew up with as a child.”

If only he knew how wrong he was, Saveria thought in amusement. Despite having stayed on earth for quite a while, she was still as easily amused when humans thought her world to be a mere children’s tale.

“I’m just gonna drive him,” The woman muttered. “That’s it!”

The man shot her a look. “He’s dangerous, Jane.”

The brunette, Jane, seemed to droop a little. Turning to Thor, she apologized, “I’m sorry, but I can’t take you.”

To Saveria’s utter surprise, Thor reached for Jane’s hand, and pressed a soft kiss to it. She could see the tender look in his eyes even from the diner, and she can’t help but look away. The gesture reminded her of a time long forgotten. How long since anyone showed any form of familial affection to her? 

It’s not anyone’s fault, but her own.

She looked up again as they parted ways. There was no use of her going to the satellite crash site then. Even if she were to find it, she had no desire to lift Mjølnir. As Jane watched Thor’s parting figure, Saveria made a split-second decision, paid her bill and went after Thor.

**\---**

**Kyrie Eleison**  
Saveria was so tired she could’ve fallen asleep while walking. She’d forgotten the time difference between Singapore and Puente Antiguo, and she’d been awake for more than fourteen hours.

For the better part of one hour, Thor had simply taken a stroll around the small town, looking at completely normal things with unconcealed interest. Every so often, he’d stop and gape at an old lady feeding a flock of pigeons, or a street vendor with a variety of strange knick-knacks. Saveria was glad he was so engrossed with the town, because she wasn’t exactly trying to hide the fact that she had been following him ever since he left the diner, just occasionally ducking behind people when he stopped to observe a trinket.

She was just starting to acknowledge the absurdity of her decision to go after Thor, when suddenly said person that she was thinking about quickened his pace and immediately became engulfed by the oncoming crowd.

“Damn it!” Saveria cursed and dove into the horde of people, keeping an eye out for the trademark flash of blond hair or anyone that was taller than the average townsperson. She jostled herself out of the mob just in time to see his blond head disappear into the shop in front of her. She pulled her hood up to hide her face and stepped in after him. The scent of cat litter invaded her nostrils.

“I need a horse!” Thor announced, striding up to the store clerk.

Saveria almost burst out laughing at the bewildered look on the clerk’s face as he spoke, “Sorry, we don't sell horses. Just dogs, cats, birds.”

Thor leaned in and said, “Then give me one of those large enough to ride.”

The store clerk looked close to kicking Thor out of his shop. 

A car horn sounded, and she quickly turned and started examined a row of chattering parakeets. Thor turned around towards the front door just as Jane stuck her head out from the van. “You still want a lift?”

Saveria watched from the corner of her eye as Thor got into the van and they drove off. She could hear the store clerk muttering under his breath about weird, crazy dudes. She left the store, a smile ghosting her lips. Out of all the people and things she left behind on Asgard, Thor was one of them she knew she regretted leaving.

She supposed Thor would be fine with Jane, not that she was worried about his safety. She knew that even without Mjølnir, he could still easily defeat anyone in combat. 

It would take at least an hour before they could reach the satellite landing site by van. Hopefully that would be enough time for her to find a motel and crash for a while before teleporting herself to Thor.

**\---**

Saveria squelched through the desert, the rain blurring her vision. Somewhere in front of her was a huge compound set up by a governmental agency, cordoning off the area. The lights from the guardhouses swept around and blinded her every once in a while.

The blurry gloom in front of her suddenly opened into a wide chasm, and Saveria found herself squinting down at the entire satellite landing site. Crouching down behind a particular large desert shrub behind a five metre tall fence, she felt a brief moment of anxiety. How was she supposed to find Thor? The area is gigantic.

Saveria was contemplating walking straight into the compound when a movement to her right caught her attention. She swiveled, just in time to see one of the guards posted near a guardhouse collapse, dragged by a pair of unknown hands into the shadows.

“What the hell?” Saveria muttered, retreating back behind the shrub. Immediately a muted siren sounded from within the building. 

She watched as a truck stopped in front of the guardhouse, and two heavily armed men got off. They barely made three steps before a blur shot out from the shadows and disabled one of them with one punch to the jaw. The other one raised his weapon, only to be brought down by a fierce kick. Thor straightened and ran towards the middle of the compound.

What in the name of Odin was he thinking? Thor may have been near invincible in Asgard, but here he had neither Mjølnir, nor his Aesir powers to try to take down a whole compound of authorities. Saveria contemplated following him, but her powers were waning and she was exhausted. She caught a flash of blond hair just before the authorities surrounded Thor, and changed her mind.

Fighting her exhaustion, she cloaked herself in invisibility with her Seiðr, and scaled the five-meter fence with little difficulty. The fight had ended with several of the authorities lying in the mud in various painful positions, and Thor nowhere to be seen. Saveria ran towards the clearing in the middle of the compound, where the hammer was embedded to the ground. 

She wouldn’t have seen him if not for the glint of his weapons against the guardhouse lights. A man sat perched at the top of a crane, his bow drawn and quietly watching Thor. Saveria narrowed her eyes and resisted the urge to fling the man from the crane. 

She turned her attention back to Thor. He limped painfully towards Mjølnir, hand outstretched and face full of hope. The authorities had stopped attacking, and the sudden silence was eerie.

She saw Thor’s desperation as he reached for the hammer.

And the defeat in his eyes as Mjølnir refused to yield to him.

**\---**

**Gradual**  
“I can help you,” Saveria murmured, keeping her stare straight and her head slightly bowed. The woman beside her startled, “What?”

Saveria scanned the street. No one was paying them any attention. “I heard your conversation with the Doctor Selvig. I can help you convince the authorities to let Thor out.”

Jane Foster fixed a hard stare on her. “Who are you?”

Saveria didn’t know how to respond to that. Should she reveal her identity? She could not stay hidden in the human world forever. Sooner or later her past would catch up with her and force her to deal with her demons.

“I’m a… friend,” Saveria tested the word on her tongue. It didn’t feel right. “That’s not important. Do you want my help or not?”

The suspicion on Jane Foster’s face deepened. “A friend? Are you from Asgard too? You don’t have Thor’s accent.”

“I’m Singaporean.”

Jane Foster raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing in Puente Antiguo then?”

Dear Odin, this woman was infuriating. Saveria huffed and said, “Look, Miss Foster, I’m offering one last time. If you don’t want my help, just say it and I’ll go. Otherwise, stop asking questions and accept.”

Jane Foster shut her mouth.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Saveria said smugly. “Do you have a laptop?”

Twenty-seven minutes later, Saveria leaned back into the comfortable chair that Jane Foster provided her and announced, “I’m done, you should have a fake I.D. emailed to you right this instant.”

The laptop pinged.

Doctor Selvig squinted at the laptop screen and looked up at her, “This isn’t very convincing. A sixteen-year-old could do better than that!”

Saveria rolled her eyes. “C’mon, no matter how good your fake I.D. is, it’s still fake. Those aren’t normal town authorities, Doctor. They probably have the entire planet’s population stored in their database.”

“Then why the hell are we using a fake I.D. to bail him out?” Doctor Selvig put a hand to his temples and started rubbing.

“Because those people, they’re curious,” Saveria inspected the stale coffee cup sitting on the photocopy machine. The entire place was a wreck; there were untidy piles of written notes sitting in the most unlikely places, including one stack balanced on top of a scotch tape dispenser, as well as random articles of men’s clothing strewn across the floor and couch. 

Turning back to Doctor Selvig, she explained, “They want to know who he is. They’ve had Thor destroy half their facility and subdue three-quarters of their men, just for some supposed mythical hammer that no one knows anything about. They want answers, and Thor won’t give them that. Meanwhile, we come along with offers to bail him out and take care of him, obviously the authorities are gonna jump at the opportunity to leave him with us, and then monitor him closely to find out who exactly is he. Make sense?”

Doctor Selvig sighed and turned to Jane Foster, who was frantically scribbling some scientific mumbo onto a notebook, “This is a bad idea.”

“No, it’s not. Now, you have an hour to go bail him out. If all works as expected, you will never hear from me again. Thanks for the tea,” Saveria put down the mug she was sipping from, nodded at Jane Foster, and left.

Concealing herself with invisibility, Saveria decided to channel her Seiðr and teleport to the satellite landing site once again. Maybe she could search for some clues to help Thor regain his hammer. 

She arrived at the site, just in time to see a green shimmer fade out of view.

**\---**

**Tract**  
Saveria woke up with an ache in her stomach and an overwhelming urge to throw up. Someone had used the Bifrost again. Immediately springing into action, Saveria ignored the gnawing in her abdomen, grabbed everything she owned and checked out of the motel.

The sleep had restored her Seiðr, and the familiar weight of Ljómi strapped on her back, hidden from view by her shirt, was comforting. She cloaked herself in invisibility, and teleported to Jane Foster’s trailer.

For some reason, the trailer that Jane Foster and Doctor Selvig resided in had a floor to ceiling glass door that allowed a stranger to see everything in the room. According to what Saveria knew, there was a retractable screen that could give them privacy, but right now the screen was not there. Inside the residence, chaos ensured. Jane Foster, Thor, Doctor Selvig and the other brunette girl were buzzing about clearing dishes from the table. Saveria looked in amazement as Thor, whom had never touched chores in his entire life on Asgard, rinsed a plate and set it on the rack. The many piles of papers balanced precariously on various objects were gone, presumably sorted and filed away. 

“Jane, can you stop making lovey eyes at the blond hobo and tell me where the hell am I supposed to put this?” The brunette yelled from the couch, hefting up an expensive-looking science instrument in one hand and placing another hand on her hips, rather like a mother scolding her child.

Jane Foster jumped, predictably. “Er, the study? Anywhere is fine, Darcy.”

Saveria was starting to feel like a stalker staring at them through the glass door, so she turned and started circling the house, scouting for trackers and cameras that the authorities that released Thor might have placed around the trailer. She was just about to examine a suspicious-looking flowerpot right below a window, when a knock sounded.

There was a beat, then a huge crash.

With her heart pounding, Saveria rounded the corner and came upon the door, just to see –

“My friends!” Thor bellowed, opening his arms wide as he opened the door. Jane Foster’s jaw dropped in an undignified way, glass shards from a broken plate at her feet. Doctor Selvig and the brunette looked at the three newcomers in awe. 

“I don’t believe it,” Doctor Selvig muttered in astonishment.

“Who are they?” 

Saveria, as equally speechless as Jane Foster, watched as Volstagg laughed a mighty laugh. Odin knows how much she’d missed him.

“Lady Sif and the Warriors Three!” Volstagg announced themselves with a flourish. At the brunette and Jane Foster’s blank faces, he amended, “Sure you’ve heard tales of Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, and I, Volstagg the Svelte?”

The brunette was the first to recover. “Volstagg the Svelte?” She asked, looking pointedly at his rounded abdomen.

“Erm, well,” Volstagg fumbled. 

Thor cut in, his expression grave. “My friends, I’ve never been happier to see anyone. But you should not have come.”

Fandral looked at him in concern. “We’re here to take you home.”

“You know I can’t,” Thor said, his expression pained. Saveria looked at him inquisitively. While she had more or less guessed why Thor was on earth, but she never knew for sure. “My father is dead because of me. I must remain in exile.”

What? Saveria glanced up sharply. The Allfather was dead? No, that’s impossible. He couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t. Saveria couldn’t even remember the last conversation she had with him.

“Thor,” Sif said gently. “Your father still lives.”

This time it was Thor who staggered backwards, reeling from the news.

At this moment, pain more than anything she had ever experienced wracked through her, and Saveria doubled over, gasping.

“Did you hear that?” Volstagg asked.

The others were too busy gawking at the hole that appeared suddenly in the sky in the distance, and the funnel cloud exploding out of it. The sky around the hole darkened as the storm increased in strength. Then it was gone, as sudden as it came.

Saveria cupped her hand over her mouth to muffle her breathing as the pain faded to a throb. The Bifrost was opened again. Townspeople filled the streets, every single gaze fixed onto the distance, where what seemed like a firefight was occurring.

“What the hell is going on?” Jane Foster asked, fear evident across her features. “Did you bring someone… hostile with you from Asgard?”

“We came alone, Lady Foster,” Fandral replied, looking grim. Hogun and Volstagg readied their weapons. “Whoever that is, they do not have good intentions. We will do our best to defend your realm from them.”

Saveria’s breathing had finally slowed. Taking a last deep breath, she teleported herself to the Bifrost site just in time to see a vehicle explode from a blast fired by a huge monstrous metal machine. It resembled a human, with hands and feet, and a faceplate for a face. Fire raged behind the faceplate. 

It was the Destroyer. 

The authorities were scrambling for cover from the onslaught of fiery beams. Their small handguns did little damage to the Destroyer’s metal body. Whatever little hope Saveria had in Sif and the Warriors Three, it was now gone. They would not win the fight today, not against the Destroyer. They needed her help, and she needed to stop hiding. She summoned her Seiðr and teleported back to Jane Foster’s trailer. 

Inside the trailer, Sif and the Warriors Three moved around gathering weapons and talking quietly among themselves, while Doctor Selvig and the brunette were helping Jane Foster load some expensive-looking equipment onto the van. 

“Leave this town now. Get yourselves and your friends to safety,” Thor said to Jane Foster, grasping one of her hands tenderly.

“What about you?” she asked, unconcealed panic shown clearly on her face. Saveria knew Thor’s answer before he could even utter a single word. 

“I must stay and fight.” He replied resolutely. The other Asgardians stopped in their tracks and looked at him incredulously.

“No, you won’t,” Saveria said fiercely, and revealed herself.

The entire room was silent. Then Thor dropped the pile of papers he had taken from Jane Foster, took one giant step forwards, and enveloped her in his arms. Saveria savoured the feeling of being held.

Releasing her, Thor held her by her shoulders and breathed in wonder, “Saveria.”

“Hello, Thor,” She replied. Craning her head to Sif and the Warriors Three, who were wearing identical expressions of awe, she nodded her greetings. “Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. It’s been a long time.”

“I thought you were dead. I –” Thor stuttered, searching for the right words. “You… you’ve been here. On Midgard.”

Saveria bowed her head. “I am truly sorry. But I couldn’t stay in Asgard. I had to go.”

“Why?” Thor asked, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Why have you left? Do you know how much we grieved?”

Saveria flinched away from Thor.

“Do you know how much my heart broke when the news came that you were… that you were dead? That my own sister, my only sister, had died?” Thor demanded, his tears finally falling.

“Don’t,” Saveria cried, her voice breaking. “Please stop, Thor.”

She swore that she would remain calm. But she could not help it as tears rolled down her cheeks. The two siblings stared at each other, both hurt from the circumstances, and embraced again.

“I’m so sorry,” Saveria whispered, but Thor shushed her in a soothing voice.

However tender the moment was, it was quickly broken apart by a rather loud sound of an explosion going off. Jane Foster screamed. Saveria pulled away from Thor, “I can help you. I still retain my Seiðr.”

“Are you sure?” Thor asked worriedly.

“Positive. But I need to know what exactly happened on Asgard, and why the hell is the Destroyer on earth, blowing up everything in his path,” Saveria said.

“Loki sent the Destroyer?” Fandral yelped in shock.

“Loki?” Saying his name sent a jab to her heart. She and Thor were close, but that could not compare to the bond between her and Loki. Out of everyone she left on Asgard, Loki was the one she missed the most. But hearing that made her grip on her arm tighten. “He did this? Why?”

“He has gone mad. He led Frost Giants into Asgard on the day of Thor’s coronation, put Odin into the Odinsleep, and took Asgard’s throne for himself. He is jealous, Saveria,” Fandral spat, “that Thor has the throne and not he. And now the entire of Asgard bows before the traitor, and he will stop at nothing to make sure that Thor does not return to Asgard.”

“No, that’s impossible,” Saveria murmured. “Loki – he would never do this.”

“You have been hiding yourself away from Asgard for sixty years. How sure are you of Loki?” Sif snarled so viciously that Saveria took a step back in shock.

“I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding,” Saveria desperately tried to convince them. “If we could just talk to him…”

“You did not see the look on his face, Saveria. The Loki you knew is dead. In his place is a cold and heartless traitor,” Sif said and returned back to her brooding. 

The room was thick with tension. Thor looked between her and Sif, and decided to change the topic. “Pardon me, I have not introduced you. Saveria, this is Lady Jane Foster, Doctor Selvig and Lady Darcy Lewis. They are kind to provide me lodgings when I arrived on Midgard. Lady Jane, this is…”

“We’ve met,” Saveria cut in politely. Holding out a hand, she said, “My name is Saveria Odindottir. I am sorry for not revealing my identity to you, Miss Foster. Doctor Selvig and Miss Lewis, it was nice working with you.”

Sensing Thor’s confusion, Jane Foster explained, “Saveria helped break you out of jail.”

Thor raised an eyebrow at her and Saveria shrugged. “Not important. Right now, Miss Foster, Doctor Selvig and Miss Lewis need to get the townspeople out of firing range. The lesser collateral damage, the better. Sif, the Warriors Three and I will confront the Destroyer.”

“I’m still a warrior, and I will fight by your side,” Thor said.

Hogun, who had remained silent until now, spoke up, “You’re but a mortal now. You’ll get yourself killed.”

“Or one of us, trying to protect you,” Fandral added.

“Help Lady Foster get the mortals to safety and leave the battle to us,” Sif said, readying her two-headed spear and shield.

Saveria watched Thor warily, preparing for an argument should he refuse. But to her surprise, Thor conceded easily and agreed. “You’re right.”

Sif looked equally as surprised.

Thor and the three Midgardians moved into action immediately and began herding the townspeople away from the approaching firefight. They were confused, but grudgingly began to accept the danger. Within a few minutes, the crowd watching the battle had dispersed and began to evacuate the town on their vehicles.

**\---**

“Lady Saveria, I see Midgard has treated you well?” Volstagg asked as they made their way towards the battle. “What have you been up to?”

Saveria smiled at her oldest friend. “Nothing much. I’ve become a teacher of history and mythology, I teach our stories to the people of Midgard. They rather enjoy it.”

“Have you?” Volstagg replied, his eyes twinkling. He was one of the few who knew about her passion for educating and teaching. They quickly slid into their easy banter, while Fandral occasionally interjected with his own opinions. Hogun, as always, remain stoic, as did Sif, which was unusual.

Saveria’s heart fell. She would have thought that after sixty years apart, Sif would have been a tad bit friendlier. But her icy demeanor was a far cry from Thor’s teary embraces.

As they approached the Destroyer, Sif drew her blades and hurried off. “Keep him distracted,” she said.

Saveria nodded, and let her Seiðr envelope her, turning her invisible. It had been decided that since she had the magic, she would be their element of surprise against the Destroyer. Using Seiðr would surely reveal herself to Loki, who was no doubt watching their entire exchange with the Destroyer. Her Seiðr would only be their last resort.

“What do you think?” Fandral asked, swinging his double-edged sword around. “’The Svartalfheim Twist’? ‘Kiss of the Hag’? ‘Face Full of Boot’?”

Saveria supposed they were battle strategies, though she had no idea what they were talking about. Volstagg grinned ferociously and replied, “’The Flying Mountain.’”

That one she recognized. And judging by the groans from Hogun and Fandral, they did too.

They were only a short distance from the Destroyer, who was still stomping towards the small town. Suddenly it stopped, and the authorities firing frantically at it renewed their efforts on trying to bring it down. Raising its faceplate, a burning flame ignited within the monstrous machine. With a savage growl, it unleashed a blast towards the nearest building.

“No!” Saveria could hear Darcy Lewis’ scream from three blocks away. She turned around and grimaced at the sight. The pet shop was on fire. 

“Trust me, ‘The Flying Mountain is sure to work,” Volstagg assured his friends. “We will stick with the plan, until Lady Sif strikes from the back.”

Fandral and Hogun grunted their agreements. Saveria only hoped desperately that their plan would work.

As they approached the Destroyer, Hogun and Fandral took off running towards it, while Volstagg started to warm up his muscles, preparing himself. When Fandral and Hogun stood in position, Volstagg hurtled towards them at full speed. At the last second, the other two Warriors grabbed him on either side, and with their full strength, catapulted him towards the Destroyer. Saveria concentrated a beam of Seiðr at Volstagg, sending him towards the Destroyer at a higher velocity. With a mighty crash, Volstagg made impact with the Destroyer, and the Destroyer swayed on the spot.

However, she watched as the Destroyer regained footing again. It lifted Volstagg into their air as though he were nothing but a bug, and hurled him at Hogun and Fandral. The three of them fell towards the ground in an undignified heap.

Just then, Sif finally appeared, leaping off a nearby rooftop while the Destroyer was distracted. With a snarl, she plunged her spear into the back of the Destroyer. The fire within its faceplate dimmed, the Destroyer stumbled, and finally collapsed, Sif standing on top of its back.

“Is it – dead?” Volstagg asked, struggling to his feet. Saveria had a brief moment of hope.

But the fire reignited once more, and Saveria watched in dismay as the Destroyer turned towards Sif, raising its faceplate…

“Run!” Fandral bellowed, and Sif snapped into action, dodging the blast and rolling to a stop a few meters away. The Destroyer rose back to its full height, uncaring of the spear piercing its back. It pulled the spear from its back, and with an almost casual movement, snapped the spear in two.

Sif ran towards the Warriors Three. “We require another plan!”

“Can we attack it together?” Hogun asked, breathing hard from his fall.

“I have but a shield and some daggers,” Sif said angrily. “My spear is no longer of use.”

Saveria thought desperately. They were running out of options. The Destroyer was nearly invincible, and they were not. From the corner of her eyes, she saw the flames ignite behind its faceplate once more, aimed at the group. 

“Look out!” She yelled, but it was too late. She watched as the bolt of fire flew towards them, and without thinking she raised her hand and let her Seiðr flow through her fingers. With a jerk of her hands, the bolt of fire was veered off course and shot towards a nearby building with a force enough to knock Sif and the Warriors Three off their feet.

The Destroyer paused and regarded the direction the Seiðr had come from. She remained as silent as she could, hoping neither the machine nor Loki could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Finally it turned away, and started stalking towards the Asgardians.

Teleporting herself towards the Warriors, she could tell they were all alive. Unfortunately both Volstagg and Hogun were knocked out, and Fandral was drawing in deep breaths as if in pain. Turning towards Sif, she lifted her invisibility and said, “Sif? Are you alright?”

To her greatest relief, Sif stirred and opened her eyes, sitting up. “I’m fine. I have not sustained serious injuries.”

“It’s up to us,” Saveria muttered. “Hogun and Volstagg are not conscious. And Fandral will not be of much use in the battle now.”

As she stood up and offered Sif her hand, Saveria saw the resolution in her friend’s eyes, and felt a renewed sense of hope. Drawing up her Seiðr, she conjured a new spear for Sif, and offered it to her hilt first. “C’mon, you and I haven’t fought in a battle together since a century ago.”

Smirking at her, Sif replied, “Afraid you’ve become rusty, Saveria?”

“Never in a million years,” Saveria said, feeling the familiar sense of Seiðr envelope her body as she became invisible once more. Together they ran towards the Destroyer.

Drawing Ljómi from the sheath, she felt a thrill down her spine. It had been a long time since she had last used her beloved dagger. They approached the Destroyer together, and Sif immediately went on the offensive. Launching herself fiercely towards the Destroyer, she brought the spear down hard on the Destroyer, catching it off guard. Meanwhile, Saveria dodged between its legs, and drove the dagger straight into its left knee.

The behemoth collapsed on one leg.

All the doubts that Saveria once had about fighting together with Sif had vanished. They had slipped easily back into sync when they fought, knowing where exactly the other was without needing to look. She backed away as the Destroyer swiped at her general direction, and swung her dagger towards its outstretched hand. 

With a great deal of effort and the aid of her Seiðr, Saveria brought Ljómi down and severed the left arm of the Destroyer cleanly. The Destroyer roared with rage and spat a column of fire at her general direction. She dived away and the flames hit a nearby road sign. The plastic sign melted.

Sif shot her a grateful look. Regrouping, they surveyed the damage the Destroyer had sustained. “How do we kill it?” Saveria panted.

“I do not know. Never has the Destroyer engaged in battle. It was only used to protect the relics from our enemies,” Sif replied, adjusting the strap of her shield.

“Well then, we’ll just have to go for the traditional method. We’ll cut its head off.”

With a roar, the Destroyer got up to its feet again, the lack of a left arm causing it to lean heavily on its right side. Saveria looked up at the Destroyer, trying to find an opening. She mused, “If I could bring it to its knees again, think you can chop off its head?”

“Why not,” Sif grinned.

With that, Saveria shot forwards and in between its legs once more. Dimly she was aware that Sif was valiantly trying to avoid the blows of the Destroyer. Saveria danced between its moving legs, found an opportunity, and sunk Ljómi up to the hilt into its right metal calf. For a moment, the Destroyer shuddered, and started to fall. The next second, Saveria was violently whipped through the air as the Destroyer’s blow finally found her.

“No!” She could hear Thor’s anguished cry from metres away. She crashed into the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of her and her Seiðr faded away, revealing herself once more. The Destroyer paid her no heed as Sif occupied its attention once more. Saveria could vaguely feel the throbbing around her midriff. The world around her spun and flickered. She tried to push herself up, but the pain sharpened, making her gasp.

Sif was still battling the Destroyer. Saveria had to help her. She could already feel herself mending what seemed to be a broken rib. The pain, although jarring, was preventing her from slipping into unconsciousness.

The Destroyer seemed to only humour Sif with its half-hearted strikes. With a huge growl, it raised its faceplate, and the fire within burned brighter, ready to strike. Saveria forced her Seiðr towards the column of fire, but she was a second too late. Sif raised her shield, just in time for the fire to make impact, and she was jolted back by the flames. She lay motionless, bruised and bloodied.

“Sif!” She screamed, but Sif did not get up.

Hands were supporting her, carrying her bridal style. She looked up into the blue eyes of her brother. “We have to help Sif,” she pleaded with him as he lay her down, gently, behind a smoldering car.

“I will,” Thor replied. “Go, while you still can.”

Saveria protested weakly. “No, I won’t. I can still fight.”

“But not win,” he tucked a stray curl behind her ear and grinned. “Don’t worry, dear sister. I have a plan.”

Saveria stared at him in disbelief. “Your plan… Please tell me it won’t get you killed.”

“Of course. You have too little faith in me.”

Saveria watched as he turned to go back to the Destroyer. She struggled to her feet, and dragged her aching body towards Sif. She felt around her neck for a pulse and was relieved to find one, albeit a little weak. She dragged Sif behind a relatively unscathed pickup truck and propped her up. Willing her Seiðr, she tried to heal Sif as much as she could. 

A cry tore through her concentration, “Thor! What do you think you’re doing? You’ll get yourself killed!”

Whipping her head around, she watched in horror as Thor strode down the street towards the Destroyer completely defenseless. It remained silent and still, regarding Thor with an almost mocking air and sizing him up.

“Brother, for whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am sorry,” Thor spoke to it. “But these people have done nothing to you. They are innocents.”

Saveria gritted her teeth and sent one final burst of Seiðr towards Sif. Her eyes shot opened and she heaved a deep breath. Satisfied, Saveria ignored the pain in her midriff and turned invisible again. She had to stop him.

“Take my life, and know I will never return to Asgard,” Thor stopped in front of the Destroyer, his arms extended towards the metal monstrosity. 

It hesitated. Could it be? Could it be that Loki could see and hear everything through the Destroyer? 

Then, it raised a giant hand and swatted Thor across the face, sending him flying through the air. With a sickening crack of bones, he landed with a harsh thud, merely a few feet from Saveria. Horror washed through her, and she could not help it as a scream tore through her throat. 

The Destroyer stood over his body, faceplate raised and angled downwards. The flames behind the faceplate crackled brighter. Saveria launched herself in front of Thor and shielded him with her body, just as the flames reached her.

The flames washed over her, having no effect. And when the flames disappeared, so did her disguise. The Destroyer visibly faltered, as it saw for the first time, what the invisible force it had been battling was.

“Loki,” Saveria snarled. “What have you done?”

In Asgard, the broken King stumbled back from the magical projection he conjured to enable him to see Midgard through his metal puppet. He raised a shaking hand towards her face. 

_“Saveria?”_

_She was as stunning as he remembered. Her golden hair was dirty and she had a huge gash down her left cheek, and yet her radiance shines above all. But it was impossible. Saveria was dead. He would know for sure, because he was the one that caused it._

_He remembered the burning flames enveloping her chambers, remembered the desperation in his voice as he screamed himself hoarse trying to find her. Remembered holding the charred remains of a girl in his arms as she breathed her last, the body burnt beyond recognition if not for the ring she wore on her finger._

_His ring._

_She was dead, because of him._

The Destroyer fell backwards. Saveria gritted her teeth and leapt forward, her rage fuelling her strength. With a savage yell, she brought Ljómi down on the creature’s faceplate, and twisted inwards, her Seiðr crumbling the surrounding metal. The dagger was up to its hilt in the Destroyer’s head, and yet she continued to force the blade in. Ice crackled through her hands and her dagger, spreading to cover the faceplate of the Destroyer. The fire within the faceplate dimmed.

She dropped onto her knees before Thor’s broken form, tears welling up in her eyes. His eyes were still open, staring without seeing. 

“You can’t give up. Thor, you have to live,” Saveria’s voice cracked as she frantically channeled her Seiðr into him, trying to heal him. His lips quirked up a little, and he whispered, “Saveria…”

“What? What is it?” Saveria asked, her tears finally trailing down her face. “Thor?”

He closed his eyes.

“Thor?” Saveria whispered again, her voice thick with sorrow. “Wake up!” She could feel herself crumbling inwards. She had not even had a proper reunion with him yet, and he was brutally torn away from her. 

A flash of lightning illuminated the entire town. 

“Saveria, behind you!” Sif yelled in alarm. 

Saveria feared the Destroyer had gotten up again, and instinctively she dived away from Thor’s body just as a bolt of lightning struck from the heavens. She was thrown from the blast, landing unceremoniously a few feet away, her hand held up to her head to protect her from the debris of the explosion. As the dust cleared, she lowered her hand slowly, and saw –

“Oh, my God.”

Clad in full battle armour and holding Mjølnir, was Thor. Lightning crackled around him, his powers restored, he was the God of Thunder once more. As if it could sense Thor’s restored powers, the Destroyer ripped Ljómi from its faceplate and tossed the dagger aside. But Saveria had already done considerable damage to it. The faceplate was completely crushed, and ice covered nearly half of its armour. 

With a mighty roar, Thor brought his hammer down to the ground. Lightning struck the Destroyer and it convulsed. Thor swung his hammer and took off into the air, as clouds began to gather in the sky and a strong gale started to blow. Debris from the ground rose into the sky, quickly forming a tornado of destructive material with Thor at its epicenter.

Saveria’s hair was whipped around by the winds as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. The action sent another jolt of pain to her midriff. She suspected that her half-mended ribs might have broken again.

“Saveria!” Sif called as she ran towards her, shielding her face from the swirling debris. “Are you alright?” Without waiting for an answer, she gingerly scooped Saveria into her arms, trying hard not to jostle her broken ribs, and carried her a safe distance away from the destructive tornado.

Saveria watched as the Destroyer unleashed a column of flames at Thor. Without hesitation, Thor dived straight for the blast. Mjølnir collided with the fire, overpowering it and pushing it downwards towards the Destroyer with alarming rate. Thor smashed into the already weakened Destroyer, and the energy within it exploded with a huge blast. The furnace deep within was finally extinguished and it collapsed to the ground, defeated. All around Thor, the debris that had been swept up into the sky fell downwards in a shower of dust and dirt.

“Dead,” Sif murmured, one hand still placed protectively over Saveria. The Warriors Three and the three humans approached Thor. Jane Foster was fussing over him, checking him for any injuries. Nearby, the authorities that had detained Thor previously were slowly approaching them, guns still raised and wary.

She could already feel her Seiðr repairing her bones and the gash on her face had finally stopped bleeding. Her muscles and bones ached, and her Seiðr was nearly depleted. She desperately needed sleep. Looking at Sif’s grim face, she feared the worst, “It’s not over yet, is it?”

“No,” Thor said, approaching them. He knelt down before Saveria and regarded her proudly. “It has been many years, and you are still the fearsome warrior that Asgard beheld and respected. I am eternally grateful to the Norns to find you here on Midgard, alive and well. I do not expect you to return to Asgard with me, for you had your reasons when you left, but I must go back to put a stop to Loki’s madness.”

Saveria struggled into a sitting position. “No, I’m coming with you. I can still fight, and you mentioned… Frost Giants?”

“Frost Giants? What’s that?” Darcy Lewis asked, looking from Thor to Saveria quizzically. Other than a cut to the arm, she was unscathed, as were Jane Foster and Doctor Selvig. 

“They hail from the icy realm of Jotunheim. They are fearsome creatures, capable of destroying an Aesir with one touch,” Thor said, looking grim. “Perhaps the disruption caused by them during my coronation was not just a harmless trick.”

“You don’t mean… that Loki would ally himself with the Frost Giants?” Fandral asked.

“If that is so, then we need to get back, fast,” Sif said, getting up to her feet. Saveria rose unsteadily as well, clutching her middle as it gave a painful throb. She looked around at the Warriors and Sif, her friends, all of whom were staring at her grimly, and felt a sudden feeling of belonging, 

“If only we were under happier circumstances,” she said. “But I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you all.”

**\---**

**Dies Irae**  
It felt like an eternity, but in reality the battle was no more than an hour. Saveria watched as Thor gently placed a kiss on Jane Foster’s lips, and Jane Foster’s teary laughter as Thor promised to return to earth for her. She turned away from the sight. She will never have that, never have the chance to fall in love. She will never have the chance to live a happy life, free of death and destruction and responsibilities and anger and guilt. She sucked in a shaky breath, and mourned for herself.

“Shall we go?” Volstagg said as Thor and Jane Foster finally broke apart. 

Thor faced them, determination in his eyes. They formed a close circle, and Thor yelled towards the heavens, “Heimdall, open the Bifrost!”

Saveria shut her eyes and prepared herself for the familiar pull. But nothing happened.

“Heimdall?” Thor yelled again. 

Still, the Bifrost did not react. They looked at one another in mixed expression of anticipation and unsettlement. Heimdall never delayed in his duties. Unless…

“Heimdall! We need to return to Asgard!” Thor called.

The feeling of dread grew in the pit of her stomach.

And then, out of the blue, the rainbow beam shot from the sky, and carried her home.

**\---**

Saveria had forgotten how disorientating it was to travel by Bifrost. She stumbled out of the rainbow beam, lost her footing, and almost found herself decapitated by a monstrous blue giant.

“Watch out!” 

Twisting into action immediately, she dodged the creature’s icy shard-like fingers, drew her own blade, and slashed its wrist clean from its arm. She whirled past the creature’s defence, and sunk the blade into its chest. Glancing up in rising panic, she found the Bifrost Observatory in utter chaos. Before she could call out to Thor for an explanation, another blue giant had taken its fallen comrade’s place. She ducked as it swiped violently across the air, backing up a few steps.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the battle raging. Thor was engaging three Frost Giants in combat, while Sif and the Warriors Three each occupied the attention of one Frost Giant. She could see the mighty Heimdall wielding Hofund, his sword, holding his own against another two more giants. She processed all of this in less than a millisecond, before turning to the Frost Giant that was approaching her warily.

Its fingers were all sharpened to icy blades, its mouth opened in a snarl. Saveria caught one of its strikes with Ljómi, and with her Seiðr, drove another conjured dagger straight through its head. It gasped, as if not believing that it had been defeated, before it fell to the ground in an icy heap.

Turning to her friends, she saw that Thor had already dispatched two Frost Giants, and was quickly defeating the third. Sif and the Warriors Three were all fine, albeit a little winded. They made to go to Thor’s aid, but with a resounding crack, he brought Mjølnir down upon its head, and the Frost Giant fell.

“What the hell is going on?” Saveria demanded, the initial adrenaline from battling the Frost Giants fading. “Are there more of them in the palace? In the town?”

Heimdall looked weary, his movements sluggish. “The Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep. Loki has taken the throne, and brought Laufey, the Jotunn King, into Asgard.”

“I beg your pardon?” Sif asked incredulously. “How have you done your duties, Gatekeeper?”

Heimdall bowed his head. “He subdued me, with the Casket of Ancient Winters, and opened the Bifrost himself. I have failed in my duties, my prince,” he spoke, addressing Thor. Suddenly, he shuddered, and Saveria looked down to see a shard of ice protruding from his abdomen. Bewildered, Heimdall sunk to the ground, a patch of red already spreading through his clothes. Behind him, a Frost Giant wheezed a grating laugh, blood coating its hands, before it slumped forwards, its last strength spent.

Sif sprang into action immediately. Flipping Heimdall over, she tore at his armour until she reached bare skin. “There is too little blood for it to have pierced any vital organs, but we must hurry to the healing rooms before it is too late.”

Thor swung Mjølnir till it spun in a gold blur, and commanded, “Get him there. Leave my brother to me.” Without looking back, he took off towards the palace.

They watched him go, before they carried out his orders. Fandral and Hogun propped the unconscious Heimdall on their soldiers, and Sif and Volstagg supported him around the middle. Saveria watched the four of them work like a well-oiled machine, and could not help but feel a little out of sorts.

“I’ll stay here,” she said uncertainly. “In case more Frost Giants come through. Is that okay?”

“Go ahead, Lady Saveria,” Fandral replied, struggling slightly with the weight of the Gatekeeper. “We will be but a minute.”

Saveria nodded, and watched as the four of them carried Heimdall from the Observatory. A sudden weariness struck her, and she gingerly sat down on the rainbow Bifrost Bridge, leaning against the wall of the Observatory. Her ribs still ached, and there was a gash on her face that had reopened in the fight with the Frost Giants. Bruises and cuts lined her arms and her shirt and jeans were filthy and torn in several places. 

Ljómi hung loosely from her hand, the blade still wet with Jotunn blood. Dark red blood, just like any other Aesir. She wiped it hastily on her shirt. 

She was so tired.

A ripple through the air jolted her out of her daze. Centuries of honing her skills had made her exceptionally sensitive to the presence of magic, and she could tell that someone had just teleported straight into the Observatory.

She scrambled up, holding Ljómi in front of her in a defensive stance. Had another Frost Giant came through? Teleportation was no easy magic. Anyone able to teleport would surely be skilled enough to sense her if she used her Seiðr as well. Opting not to turn invisible, she crept along the outside of the Observatory, till she reached the entrance.

And her heart stopped when she saw the green armour and golden horns of Loki. He stood at the helm of the Observatory, the Allfather’s staff, Gungnir, in hand. The controls of the Observatory were frozen under a sheet of ice.

“All these years, and no one’s ever dared to use it as a weapon,” his voice was cold and haunting, nothing like the cheeky and warm tone he had sixty years ago.

She must have whimpered, or made some strangled sound, for he stiffened and turned.

_In that moment, Loki wondered if he was dead. She stood at the entrance of the Observatory, hand over her mouth like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing._

_“Saveria,” he whispered. “Is that really you?”_

_But it was not her. His Saveria had never looked upon him with such utter terror and disbelief. His Saveria was dead. Dead by his hand._

_“Loki,” she breathed. “Loki, please.”_

“You are an illusion,” he snarled, clutching Gungnir in a shaking grip in front of him.

Saveria took a step forward, but he fell back and yelled, “Get back!”

“Please, Loki,” she cried. “It’s me, Saveria.”

His eyes were wild, and he looked hysterical as he screamed, “No, no, no, no!”

Saveria realized her eyes were wet, and she watched as he folded in on himself and fell to the ground. She rushed over to him, wanting to touch him, to soothe him, but the fear in his eyes – 

“I killed you,” he whispered, voice broken. “I killed you I killed you I killed you.” 

Saveria knelt down and slowly inched towards his broken form, hand outstretched. He made no reaction, as if he didn’t even know she was there. Tentatively, she put a hand on his hair. He was feverish and shaking violently.

“Have you come for revenge?” He looked at her without seeing. “To kill me?” His eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks were hollowed in, and his face pale and lips bloodless. 

“Loki, what have you done to yourself?” She whispered, her heart hurting. Her hand brushed through his hair and came to rest on his cheek. He shuddered, like her touch burned him.

“Warm,” he murmured, unconsciously leaning into her touch. She tugged him towards her, folding him in her embrace. “So soft,” he said. He rested his head upon her chest, arms wrapped around her waist tightly. She could feel his shaking slowly ceasing and she wept for him.

She did not know how long they spent in this position, but slowly he came back to himself. Pulling back slightly, he reached a hand to cup her face, wiping off her tears. “You are real, are you not?” He asked her.

“Yes,” she exhaled.

“But you were –” Loki made a strangled sound. “The fire. I saw your body.”

“I – Lynette, my lady-in-waiting, told me to run,” she recalled. “She must not have made it then, if there was a body.”

“That body,” he said, staring up at her in disbelief. “It wasn’t yours? All these years… I thought that I had killed you.”

A footstep sounded behind them from the entrance of the Observatory. Reacting instinctively, Loki pushed her behind him and fired Gungnir. The blast hit Thor straight in the chest and sent him across the floor. Seeming to remember why he was here the first place, Loki tore himself away from her and rushed to the controls. He placed Gungnir atop the frozen controls, and Saveria watched in horror as the Observatory turret turned and fired off into space.

“No!” Saveria screamed. “Loki, stop it!”

His eyes had resumed its previous glassy expression, and he grinned. “There is no stopping it. The Bifrost will build until it rips Jotunheim apart.”

“You cannot destroy an entire race, Loki!” Saveria cried, rushing towards him, before being pulled back by Thor. 

“Stay back,” Thor yells at her. He swung his hammer and charged at Loki, who catches his blow easily with Gungnir.

“You plan to save the Frost Giants?” Loki taunted, laughing as he dodged blow after blow from Thor while Saveria watched, frozen in spot. “You, who would have killed them all with your bare hands?”

Thor snarled. “I’ve changed.”

“So have I.”

They rushed at each other; Thor desperately trying to fend himself from Loki’s savage blows. Saveria ran to the unguarded controls and summoned her Seiðr. Pressing her hands to the ice, she drew in all the heat she could to try to melt the ice coating the controls. It barely did anything; she never mastered fire magic as well as she did ice magic.

A sudden explosion threw all three of them out of the Bifrost Observatory and onto the Bifrost Bridge. In the distant, the maelstrom of the growing Bifrost beam tore through the ice of Jotunheim, and she watched as the planet started to crumble inwards. Panicked, Saveria ran back into the Observatory, ignoring the two brothers and redoubled her efforts to melt the ice on the controls. A grunt of pain drew her attention back to the fight. She turned, just in time to see the tip of Gungnir protrude out from Thor’s chest.

All the breath seemed to have left her body at once. “Thor!” She cried, abandoning the controls and launching herself towards the two brothers. Loki jerked the blade out of Thor’s body and let him slump to the ground. Blood coated the tip of Gungnir. He grinned at her approach, a feral glint in his eyes. 

The sight of the dark red stain slowly spreading on Thor’s abdomen made her panic, and without thinking she lashed out at Loki with her Seiðr. Caught off guard, Loki was thrown backwards by the spell and landed several feet away.

Reaching Thor’s slumped form, she shifted his armour away to reveal the already closing wound. He clutched at her shaking hands and muttered, “I’m fine, Saveria. Leave Loki to me, you are the only one who can stop the Bifrost now.”

Saveria shook her head. She stared at the pulsing power radiating from the Bifrost Bridge and said, “I can’t. No one can overcome Gungnir. We have to cut off the power.”

“The power?”

She nodded. She didn’t miss the way his eyes widened when he understood what she meant. Nor the tiniest flicker of pain that disappeared as soon as it appeared. They turned towards the limp figure on the Bridge that was starting to stir.

“Saveria –” Thor started, but Saveria shook her head.

“I know you believe that he is beyond reason, but he is still my brother,” she pleaded. “Go and stop the Bifrost. Let me talk to him, please.”

Thor pulled her roughly to her feet and gave her a quick once over for any injuries. He looked about to argue, but he only nodded and said, “Be careful, sister. He is not the same Loki you knew sixty years ago.” He patted her gruffly on the head, swung Mjølnir and launched into the air.

Saveria let out the air she had been holding and rushed to Loki. He was on his back, dazed from the impact of her Seiðr. The knock seemed to have jolted him back. His eyes were clear, no longer glassy and unfocused.

“Saveria?” he murmured, a hand reaching out to her face. She nodded and grasped his outstretched hand, pressing it to her face.

“You’re hurt,” he brushed his hand over her cheek, where the cut had stopped bleeding. She felt a ghost of magical current before he pulled his hand back, satisfied. “There, it will not scar.”

“Thank you, Loki,” She said, tears welling up in her eyes as she took in his face, cheeks too sunken to be healthy. “I’m so sorry I was gone for so long.” He cupped her face with a shaking hand, and she closed her eyes, causing a tear to roll down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb, and whispered, “I missed you.”

“I know, Loki. I missed you too,” She said. _I love you,_ her heart chanted.

“Is it because of me?” Loki asked suddenly, tracing circles on her face with his thumb. “Is that why you left?”

Saveria shook her head vehemently. “Don’t,” she said. “You know –”

A tremendous thump sounded. The Bifrost Bridge shook, and Saveria fell backwards. Loki sat up and looked around wildly, panic starting to show on his face. “It’s alright, Loki,” Saveria said, trying to sit upright. “It’s Thor –”

For a split second, Saveria swore she saw a blue glint in his eyes. But before she could think on it, he lunged towards Thor with a snarl, Gungnir poised to attack.

“Loki!” Saveria ran after him, giving herself a burst of speed with her Seiðr. “Come back, what are you doing?” Ten steps… seven steps… She was so close to him, she could practically feel the ends of Loki’s cape in her fingers. In her peripheral vision, storm clouds gathered at a rapid pace. Drawing lightning, Thor raised Mjølnir and rained one last blow to the Bridge.

And the Bifrost Bridge shattered, searing energy exploding in all directions. The force of the blast threw them backwards as a wave of destruction moved forward along the Bridge towards the Observatory, tearing everything in its way apart until it finally reached the Observatory turret. The Observatory imploded from the force of the Bifrost energy, and Saveria could only watch, helpless, as she was hurled towards the massive wave of scorching energy, an instant from being reduced by the shattered debris, when –

A hand shot out, grabbing the edge of her fingertips, and she clung onto it desperately. Her other hand reached out and miraculously, managed to grab the end of Gungnir, where Loki hung from the other end.

Saveria dared to glance up, and there, Odin Allfather stood at the edge of the Bridge, one hand on Thor’s leg while Thor was holding on to her arm. He had finally awakened from the Odinsleep, restored to his full strength, and all Saveria could think about was that he had aged, much.

She turned to the other end of Gungnir. “Loki,” she screamed at him. But he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were fixated on the Allfather, and gleaming with unshed tears. 

“I did it for you, Father,” Loki beseeched, desperately searching for any sort of approval. Saveria angled her head up, staring at the golden eye patch of the Allfather. _Please, just acknowledge him, please say something,_ she pleaded silently. 

“No, Loki,” the Allfather said.

She could see the exact moment those words registered in Loki’s mind. His eyes flashed blue again, the horrific icy shade that did not belong in his usual warm green iris, and the next thing she knew, the weight hanging from Gungnir disappeared.

“Loki!” She screamed, reaching frantically. No, she needed to grab him, needed to drag him back to the Bifrost Bridge. She surged forward, and the edge of Gungnir caught onto the deep green cape, before a weight pulled her back. She could only watch as Loki fell into the rushing torrents of the Bifrost energy, disappearing from her sight, the look of his face seared forever in her memory.

“Stop it, Saveria,” Thor bellowed, trying to keep a hold on her. “He’s gone.”

She couldn’t believe it. Why was Thor not saving Loki? Why was Thor trying to stop her? _Why was he holding her back?_

“Stop it!” He continued to yell. “Stop struggling, Saveria. He’s gone.”

No, no, it’s not. They could save him. If they could get onto a ship, a plane… There were tons of them in the Asgardian vault. Thor pulled her up onto the Bridge, and she clutched his armour, voice shaking, “Thor, the vaults, I need a plane. We can save him, he hasn’t fallen far yet, we can still find him…”

He placed a gentle hand on her trembling fingers. “He’s gone, Saveria. It’s over.”

 _What? No, it’s not._ Why were Thor and the Allfather so calm about this? 

“Why are you being like this, Thor?” She asked. “Do you not want to save him? He’s your brother!”

“Saveria, please,” Thor said, wiping on her cheeks. Dimly, she realized that her face was wet with tears. That was a bad sign. It meant her body had begun to accept what her mind could not. That Loki was dead. That he was never going to come back.

_“No, Loki.”_

She turned to the Allfather, who was surveying the damage on the Bridge with an expressionless face. As if the man that had fallen into the void was not his own blood. “It’s your fault. You could have said something. Anything! You could have saved him with one word. WHY DIDN’T YOU?”

“Saveria –”

“Shut up,” She snarled. She took a step forward and he finally turned his attention on her, head slightly turned in a mocking manner while she worked herself into a rage. Her fingers itched to draw Ljómi, to rest it at the Allfather’s throat. She rushed towards him, and found her way blocked by Thor, who was trying his best to keep her from the Allfather. She paid him no heed.

“Is he even your son? Did you ever treat him as one? How could you do that to your own child?” Her words barely had effect on the Allfather, and he did not even flinch. She sucked in a shaky breath, “Even if he were wrong, was that really a suitable place to reprimand him?” 

He was emotionless, turning his attention back to the chasm in the Bridge. All the energy seemed to have suddenly left her body, and she slumped in Thor’s arms. “Even beasts know to protect their own. You are no better than a beast.”

Still the Allfather remained silent.

**\---**

**Offertory**  
She watched the orbs of light float to the sky from the balcony of the room she was given. She watched as a lone arrow was fired towards the pyre. And she watched as it sailed and melted into a swirl of stardust, floating away into the cosmos.

The people broke off and started streaming away almost immediately after. It was almost like no one wanted to stand at the riverbank for longer than necessary.

**\---**

**Sanctus**  
“I have always wondered, why do your powers manifest in ice and frost?”

Saveria turns and sees the Allfather. “It has always been this way, since I learnt it.”

He stands beside her and stares down at the gardens. “I see.” 

Saveria fidgets slightly in her dress. The neckline is itchy and uncomfortable, but it is the least extravagant dress she could find, borrowed from the daughter of one of the Allfather’s officials who was tripping over his feet to please her. She wonders if the dress is too informal for an audience with the Allfather.

“Why don’t we walk?” The Allfather asks, striding away without waiting for her reply. Saveria picks up the edges of her dress and hurries after him.

They walk in tense silence towards the Bifrost Bridge and stop. Saveria wants nothing more than to turn and run from the wide chasm.

The Allfather turns and scrutinizes her face. Seeming to find nothing special, he sighs for a long time, and finally begins to talk, “Once an Aesir becomes of age, they can learn and master Seiðr. The form that their powers manifest in is usually influenced by their environment, or by natural selection. It is common in Asgard, to find Aesir with powers of nature or the weather. Or more uncommonly, powers of healing.”

“There are none with powers of ice?” Saveria asks. “Why do I have it then?”

The Allfather shakes his head. “There are cases, although unusual, where husband and wife share the same manifestation of power, should they both be wielders of Seiðr.”

“Really?” Saveria says uncaringly. “And how does that apply to me? I have rejected all your and mother’s attempts of marrying me to the nearest convenient man. I don’t have a husband. Not here, nor on earth.”

The Allfather looks at her again, his face unreadable. Saveria cannot remember the last time he had shown fatherly love to her, or to any of his sons. To be able to talk to him in somewhere other than the throne room was a rarity that she used to cherish. Suddenly, she understands Loki’s constant thirst for the Allfather’s approval.

“You love him, Saveria.”

It is a statement, not a question.

Saveria’s mind reels. “Yes, I love Loki as I do a brother,” She says slowly, her mind working quickly.

The Allfather chuckles. “Do not pretend.”

The initial shock is beginning to wear off, and anger is quickly taking its place. “What are you accusing me of?”

The Allfather merely looks down towards the chasm. “I am not condemning you. You are not siblings, not by blood.”

Saveria gasps. “What?”

The Allfather laughs; a dry, humourless laugh that seems to taunt her as it echoes down the chasm. “After the Jotunn war, I picked my way through the bloodied battlefield, and I chanced upon a small Frost Giant child, left for dead. I brought him back to Asgard, in the hopes that once he grows up, he will be able to unite the two realms and bring a stop to the endless hatred.”

“And it worked so well for you, didn’t it?” Saveria says. “Why didn’t you tell him?” 

“At first, he was too young. And when he did grow older, it never seemed like the right time.” The Allfather says, his face growing weary. For the first time, Saveria sees him not as the ruler of a realm, but simply as a tired man.

“You never did love him, not as much as you loved Thor.”

He does not bother denying her words. Maybe that is what made her angrier. She looks at him in contempt, and spits, “And when Mother had me, you loved me even less.”

“Saveria…”

“Anyhow, it did not matter to me,” Saveria retorts. “I could not care less if the almighty Allfather loved me or not. But to him, your love was everything he sought for. And yet you shunned him and compared him to Thor and never gave him a word of praise.”

The Allfather seems to have aged another ten thousand years. She turns and walks away from the chasm.

**\---**

**Agnus Dei**  
 _“Why did she leave Asgard?”_

The questions come not long after. Just long enough for people to think is acceptable to start nosing their way into someone else’s business after the death of a loved one, and Saveria hates how little regard Asgard holds for Loki Odinson.

**\---**

_“Perhaps if she had never left, the second prince would not have committed so many unspeakable acts.”_

“Perhaps,” Saveria replies to the mother holding a baby with one hand and carrying a basket of bread with the other. The woman startles and tightens her hold on her child, averting her eyes immediately.

**\---**

_“That’s her, the King’s daughter that left.”_

_“I heard the traitor prince became insane because of her leaving.”_

Saveria barely spares a passing glance to the two court ladies gossiping in the corridor.

**\---**

She isn’t surprised when she returns to her room and sees Thor standing there, looking out of place between the shelf of books and the pastel armchair.

“Brother,” she greets him pleasantly.

“You’re still wearing black,” he blurts to her. She pauses in her steps and he scratches at his hair, gesturing wildly at her general direction. “I mean –”

“I’m mourning,” she says, removing the grey cloak she wore over her dress. “Unlike the rest of Asgard, I would like to mourn the death of a royal prince properly.”

“The period of mourning is one month,” Thor says. “Both father and mother have let him go, as should you.”

Saveria tilts her head. “He is my brother, as he is yours. Maybe the Allfather can mourn in a month. But it is not be enough for me to accept his passing, much less get used to the fact that he will never, never appear in front of me again.”

“I just –, why do you insist on calling our father ‘the Allfather’?”

Saveria snorts. “Why else? It’s because he has never been a father to me.”

Thor is silent for a beat.

“There are other ways of mourning him, Saveria,” Thor tries to reason again. “Silent ways.”

“I don’t –”

“Ways that are not how a widow mourns for her dead lover,” he finishes, with a stare that is hard on her face. Saveria looks at him sharply.

“What are you implying?”

He walks around the armchair, depositing Mjølnir onto the cushions. She realizes, belatedly, that Thor has decided to bring a weapon just to have a chat with her. He rubs a hand across his face and says, “I’m not trying to imply anything, Sister. I’m just pointing out that the way you are showing your grief may cause misconceptions with the people –”

“– The people that couldn’t care less about Loki?” She interrupts, before realizing it is the first time since his death that she has spoken his name out loud.

“That’s not true, Saveria, I’m just saying that you could possibly mourn in another way that will not make the common folk speak harshly against you!” He yells at her. “Do you know what the people say? They whisper about it all the time when they think I cannot hear it.”

She stills. “What do you want me to say?”

“Tell me it is not true!” Thor pleads, coming to her and grasping her arms. “Tell me that they are mistaken.”

She exhales, almost like a laugh. A mocking sound that sounds hollow even to her own ears. “What can I say to you? That I love him? That I ran that night sixty years ago because I couldn’t face you and the rest of Asgard, just because I love our brother?”

“I love him, Thor,” the words fall out of her mouth so easily. “I love him like the way our mother loves him. I love him the way he loves the Allfather. And yet I love him the way you love Jane.”

She regrets the words as soon as she looks up, because the look on Thor’s face is enough to let her know how much disgust he feels towards her.

“Saveria, you cannot possibly –”

“Get out,” she spits, pushing away from him. The temperature of the room falls drastically and Thor backs away some more. “Leave, now!”

She collapses into the bed, cradling herself close to the edge. She does not need to look up to know that he is already gone.

**\---**

**Libera Me**  
It is when the leaves on the trees start to change into a golden brown that she decides she has overstayed her welcome. She cannot stand how little care the Allfather has for Loki’s death, and Thor can no longer look at her without disgust. Although her mother has assured her repeatedly that she always has a home on Asgard, she decides that she needs to return.

“Darling,” Frigga says, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure you will not at least stay for All Saint’s Day?”

“I cannot,” Saveria smiles at her. “I left earth in a rush without settling my affairs, and all my friends are probably worried about me. I cannot ignore my responsibilities any longer.”

Frigga nods understandingly, a wistful smile on her face. “And you do not require the energy of the Bifrost to transport you home?”

“No, I know a few entrances and exits out of this world. Loki showed them to me before –” she pauses. Saying the name still sends a jab to her heart. “He showed them to me before he died.”

She grabs her bag, with Ljómi stashed inside, and gets to her feet. Kissing her mother briefly on the cheek, she grasps her hands and promises, “I’ll be back soon, Mother. Don’t worry about me, and don’t cry some more when I’m gone, okay?”

Frigga nods, and presses a kiss of her own to her forehead. “I will not worry, darling. You’re so very strong, and beautiful. My precious daughter.”

Saveria nods at her, her eyes welling up. Turning on the spot, she steps into darkness and transports herself away from the golden palace. The last thing she sees is the love in her mother’s eyes. Love for her.


End file.
